On the recordJanuary 9, 2014
I am pleased today to rise to honor the life of a great Hoosier, one of Indiana's finest public servants, Representative Andy Jacobs. I didn't know Andy as well as some of my other Hoosier colleagues, but I met him several times during his three decades representing Indiana in Congress, and I certainly knew Andy by his stellar reputation. What impressed me most about him on those occasions that we met was the humbleness with which he approached his job and the respect and civility he showed for his constituents and his colleagues, regardless of their party affiliation or political ideology. Andy never took himself too seriously. He drove a beat-up Oldsmobile and dressed like an average guy, which he was. This humble and decent man was a fierce advocate for civil rights and senior citizens and built a remarkable record of public service on behalf of his constituents. That is why he was held in such unusually high regard by Republicans and Democrats alike. Andy exemplified all that was right about being a public servant. He could disagree without being disagreeable. He believed you could lift people up without tearing people down. Despite his many years representing his constituents in Congress, he refused to become jaded and allow what is wrong with politics to stop him from doing what is right. Representative Andy Jacobs never forgot where he came from and personified what being a Hoosier is all about.…
